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Phytoextraction of uranium from contaminated soil by Macleaya cordata before and after application of EDDS and CA

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Abstract

This is the first report on using Macleaya cordata for phytoextraction of uranium from the uranium contaminated soil in the greenhouse. Macleaya M. cordata was found to increase uranium concentration in the soil solution by increasing the dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The amendment experiments with citric acid (CA) and [S,S]-ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS) at the rates of 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mmol kg−1 dry weight (DW) soil showed that EDDS was more efficient to increase uranium concentration in the shoot than CA when they were applied at the same rate. The applications of 5.0 mmol kg−1 EDDS and 10.0 mmol kg−1 CA were most appropriate for increasing uranium concentrations in the shoot of M. cordata. CA was more efficient to increase the solubility of uranium at the same application rates except for 2.5 mmol kg−1 application rate. There was a linear correlation between the uranium concentration in the shoot and the average uranium concentration of one planted pot during 14 days in soil solution after the application of different rates of EDDS and CA, respectively (r 2 = 0.972, P < 0.01; r 2 = 0.948, P < 0.01), indicating that uranium uptake was dependent on the soluble uranium concentration. The Fe-U-DOC and Mn-U-DOC complexes were probably formed after the application of CA. Soil solution pH and Fe, Mn, Ca, and DOC concentrations in soil solution were found to be changed by the chelates.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11305087, 51274124) and the Development Program for Science and Technology for National Defense (B3720132001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Discipline Laboratory for National Defense for Biotechnology in Uranium Mining and Hydrometallurgy, University of South China, 28 West Changsheng Road, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People’s Republic of China

    Chang-wu Li, Nan Hu, De-xin Ding, **-song Hu, Guang-yue Li & Yong-dong Wang

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  1. Chang-wu Li
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  2. Nan Hu
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  3. De-xin Ding
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  4. **-song Hu
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Correspondence to De-xin Ding.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

Chang-wu Li and Nan Hu are contributed equally to this work

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Li, Cw., Hu, N., Ding, Dx. et al. Phytoextraction of uranium from contaminated soil by Macleaya cordata before and after application of EDDS and CA. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 6155–6163 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3803-x

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